Snow Days!

Due to holidays, sick kids, and now snow, I haven't worked a full week since I started this job. The bonus is that our 4 day Thanksgiving weekend has turned into a 6 day weekend instead and due to the 2-hour delay on Monday I didn't have to work then.

Next week should be my first full week barring anymore unforeseen circumstances!!

"He said you were fat..."

The chicks in this hen house are the type who clamber for your attention. Negative or positive, they thrive on it. This can be amusing but proposes a big challenge a lot of the time, particularly when they tattle on one another or do things to try and get a rise out of you.

It's been another odd week. I was out on Monday due to my own chick being sick, then we had a 2 hour delay on Tuesday so I didn't have to go in. Yesterday I head in and the chicks are happy to see me, but the first thing I was told was "so and so said you were fat."

Oh he did, did he? Actually my response was to tell him that yes I was. It's a fact. This completely threw off the little one who looked at me strangely then went and sat down. The funny thing was that it really didn't bother me at all and it was said specifically to get the other one in trouble.

Week 1

Is done. The bonus is there is no school tomorrow which would techincally be my first full week, instead I get to sleep in! Hooray.

So far, so good.

Monday was super mellow and awesome on task behavior - thank you standard time.

I got hugs from the chicks yesterday when I got there and that always gives me the warm and fuzzies.

Today the chicks were a little bit wired. Possibly because it's a halfday, or because tomorrow there is no school. Whatever the reason they were having a hard time staying focused. It's amusing how much things like no school and even the weather can make them go loopy.

Friday should be interesting.

Work, like exercise

I got the job and started in the new hen house yesterday.

I'm in and out quickly, working on reading with the kids. No random office tasks which I find are really what I enjoy doing while working the classrooms. Something about the mindlessness of making copies and organizing files that allows me to put to use my time management skills while feeling useful...

Not doing any office work means no work room. No work room means that I have no idea who the other hens are. I feel like a caged bird when I'm used to being free range.

While it's just 1 hour a day, thinking about going makes me irritable. It seems like an hour that could be put to better use, however I know if I didn't go I would spend the hour in my pajamas surfing facebook instead of actually accomplishing anything. Having to be up and going, it's a good start to the day and like exercise, I wind up feeling so much better afterwards. The hour goes quickly and knowing that I have to be there eliminates excuses.

Too bad I don't have the same motivation to go and actually exercise.

New Hen House...

I am waiting for a call from another hen house about a job. As soon as I get confirmation then I will be back in the game, new location, new faces, and a whole new set of animals to get used to. The part of me that is sitting here bleary eyed and tired and grateful I don't have to get up and dressed immediately and can instead do most of my current work in my pajamas, has me kicking myself for applying for a job that is only 1 hr a day right in the middle of my only "me" time; but, the pay is decent and it works with my schedule and it's simple and fun most of the time.
Plus it's got me back in the system and I am thinking I will get to work with a familiar face who interviewed at the same time. That would make the transition a little bit easier.

Back in the Henhouse

So, life got a little crazy starting around March. I had to leave the Henhouse in pursuit of higher education and never had time to blog about it because in addition to taking 15 credits I also was trying to put on an awards banquet and silent auction which took all the rest of my attention. Being busy was nice though becuase I didn't have time to miss my co-workers, which I realize now how much I do.
Last week all the hens met at the park for a picnic. Kids played, we chatted, and I got to reconnect with everyone. We had such a great, cohesive group and it's hard to find that out in the world. I am sad that, regardless of whatever day to day drama there was, I am no longer a part of that team. I am hoping I will be able to find a position there again. We'll see. I would be nice to keep the blog going, even though I am not finding enough time to write as I would like.

We'll see what happens...it's summertime anyway. :)

Decisions

I went back to work today. I should have stayed home again as the process to get to school was ridiculous - late leaving, got stuck behind the school bus, got stuck behind the driver going 5 mph under the speed limit, got stuck in the drop off line and ultimately my son came home from school sick about an hour later. I was 5 minutes late to work and lost a quarter of my workday.

However, everyone was so happy to see me. I think we all get stuck in the monotony of the day to day grind and tend to lose that sense of connection with each other, we're all just there. Everyday. So being gone, people actually missed me - it was a little surprising, and touching, to know that they do look forward to seeing me, even for 20 minutes.
On top of that, hanging out in the workroom has me appreciating everyone's individuality and how as a team we all blend and banter and bring something to the table that if it were someone else - it wouldnt' be the same.

This is making the decision to leave that much harder. I thought I had it figured out. Until I went back in today... I'd still see them, I am there every Friday anyway, but somehow I wouldn't be one of the family anymore. It's a tough choice...

Absence makes the heart grow fonder..

I have been away from the hen house for almost a week. The fam went to Disneyland for the weekend and then when we came home, recovery, homework, and sick kids had me cashing in some of the sick days I've accumulated over the last year and a half.

It seems like longer that I've been working there. I truly feel as though we are a family - complete with our alliances and our rivalries. It's nice to know that once you are accepted in, you are in for good.

I am contemplating leaving. Not because I want to but because life circumstances have me having to make a decision. While my pitiful hours are obviously not what's keeping me there, I look at what is. Flexible hours, ability to have my kids go to whatever school in the district they want, guaranteed hours the following year - if I leave so does my guarantee, seniority within the district...

What will I gain? Freedom. Flexibility. An advance on my education.

Are the minimal hours worth hanging on to for an unknown future?

Decisions.

It's Rooster Day - Hooray Hooray!

Today is Dr. Seuss' birthday. It also happens to be Rooster's birthday. While well wishes were being broadcast across our 2-way's, it was pointed out that Dr. Seuss could reluctantly share the day. If he had to.

After a ridiculous amount of vomit-inducing revelry around the Rooster in the backyard alone, he wasn't even there since he works the front yard in the mornings, it continued inside... A cake, presents, well-wishes, and tubs of frosting which are his personal favorite snack.

Like a jealous sister I find myself going W. T. F.?

Why does the most self-absorbed creature in the whole barnyard get the most celebration? Not even the Coyotes get this type of fanfare.

It's a mystery. I guess those who tout their own self-worth incite others to believe it. Self-confidence is key, regardless of behavior.

Like the Cat-in-the-Hat while he breaks every rule
unseen by the parents or in this case the school
Confidently dictating what others should do
while he does what he, what HE wants to do
regardless of policies, ethics, or morals
elbowing for position while bitching a choral
about how underappreciated his work always is
his genius unrealized, his time down a seive
the rest of us picking up slack left behind
while he manages to get paid twice for his time
yet when it comes down to the final reveal
while we wait for fruits of his labor to congeal
it's never quite, never Quite noticed it seems
by the big wigs who head up this crazy regime
inevitably it all works out just fine
for him anyway, the rest of us whine
At the end of the day, like that kooky old cat
everythings clean and tidy and complaints just fall flat
for behind that engaging and cocky demeanor
he has the most important thing of all...a wiener.

Short Week

It's been a short week at Barnyard, so my already limited time there was cut even shorter. Nothing exciting happened, at least not yet, today may bring with it some good blog fodder...

Valentine's Day

Since there is no school for mid-winter break starting tomorrow, all of the Valentine's day festivities were held today! The chicks were wound up, as was to be expected, hyped up on the promise of oodles of candy and combined with a 4-day weekend! Yikes.

The teachers were equally jazzed today - far less for the candy than the long weekend I'm sure, but there is something about recieving those extra special Valentine gifts from the students that has to warm the heart. Plus it's an excuse to have a class party!!

There were festivities in the staff room today and the sunshine committee had decorated it with construction paper conversation hearts, with the names of all the staff, hanging from the ceiling. It was sweet.

I am definitely looking forward to the long weekend and not having to get up and dressed to stand outside, for an extra two mornings this weekend. Bliss.

Worth It?

I think we forgot it was still winter. 31* outside at work today. I could have been in my PJ's instead of squeezing into too-tight jeans because they were the only ones I could find that were clean and bundling up to work the backyard. We were down by 2 backyard hens today - the Rooster stole the sub so he could do whatever it was that he does...

I work 20 minutes a day. Since I have to drive my own chicks to school anyway and it's close by, it's not out of my way to go to work. My 20 minutes keeps me on the seniority list, keeps my chicks at the school of our choice, and gives me a little extra spending $ at the end of the month, year-round. Plus I get summer and all of the school breaks off.

Hmmm, perspective.

Truth and Lies

Monday. The usual suspects were in trouble again. They have a hard time following basic rules. Disciplinary Action was doled out but I forgot to pass it on to the mid-day hens who would have to carry it out.
Tuesday. I asked them about it and half the class said they fulfilled their punishment, the other half just kept their mouths shut - I verified that DA was not fulfilled. Dissapointing.
I was totally going to let them off the hook too. Sadly they had gotten another threatened DA from the Rooster so they ultimately wound up doing 4x the time, whereas had they just told the truth to begin with, they would have not had to do any.
Today they were one of the only classes that didn't have any issues.

My Turn

It was my turn to be absent from the yard today. I took a sick day. Not because I was sick that morning but unfortunately because I was sick the night before which led to my not being able to get my homework completed before my classes today. Which meant that I had to eek out time to do it and something else had to give - work. I guess I figured that since it was my illness that caused me to get behind that it still counted as sick that I had to miss work. I didn’t do it lightly since I knew that subs can be hard to find and even in the backyard, being down one of us does make a difference. It just seems to be the week that we are short one.

Injured

One of the Hens sustained an on-the-job injury today. It’s rare in our line of work, no matter how many close calls we may come with errant drivers almost running us down. In this case she was closing the gate that acts as the barrier between the students and the line of cars in the drop-off zone, and somehow her finger was smashed between the two arms as they came together. It required a trip to the hospital and several stitches. Yuck. I’m impressed at the cool-headedness that had her walking calmly inside with her bleeding hand raised.

The Daily...

So today we were shorthanded, again. Down 2 backyard Hens. One got a sub, the other didn't. It's hard to find people to cover such a small amount of time, especially in the morning. Yes, I am aware it's a double standard.

The sub was supposed to cover crossing but since that can be a treacherous job, we all shifted so an experienced Hen took that spot, I covered hers which was monitoring the drop-off lines, and the sub took my spot watching the chicks.

Parents are rude. Not all, but a lot. We have some wonderful parents who get it and some not so wonderful ones who don't. I have never been out directing the drop-off traffic before but I know that they are only supposed to drop-off in the yellow zone. The didn't, I nicely but loudly said they needed to drop off in the 'yellow zone only'and the lady looks at me and through her closed window said something about then the kids would be late...given her facial expression I don't think she was trying to be nice about it. It's funny how to them we are all one entity. It's also funny how she's more concerned about her kids being late than she is about them being safe. Just doin' my job lady. Trying to get 900+ kids to the right place at the right time, alive and well. I am not sure these parents truly appreciate the challenge we face every morning.

Smile and wave. Smile and wave. Smile and wave.

Cock of the Walk

Today we were shorthanded. Rooster decided to take it upon himself to be elsewhere this morning, leaving the hens to cover his spot while he was doing stipend work during his paid time. He got a Dog to volunteer so there would be an extra set of eyes in the yard, but as the dogs don't really have the authority that doesn't help too much. Plus, Dog is not getting paid.

What Rooster was doing was important, I don't grudge him that fact, but it's the attitude that surrounds it. Rooster does not breed loyalty in his job and the Coyotes have his back - at least so it seems.

"Life's not fair"

So after 4 months of suffering through my afterschool position I was forced to give it up for higher learning. A replacement hen was found and after a week I looked out to check on her and noticed she wasn't there - Rooster was.

The afterschool pick up lines are ridiculous. Initially they caused me way too much stress and the other backyard hens and I did our best to cope with the surges of traffic and to follow the proceedure laid out by the Coyotes. However, we can't be in 5 places at once and our first and foremost duty is to the students safety.
I went to the Coyotes multiple times asking for someone to come out and help monitor the situation. Once a week would be great if there could be another body to just remind all of these parents of the pick-up routine.
Again I asked. And again. Finally, once, a Coyote came out and helped corral the wayward drivers. It helped so much and I was relieved because finally they would know what it was like out there...or perhaps it just stopped the clucking for a bit.
Finally I realized that unless you were a backyard hen, it was out of sight out of mind. No one else seemed to care or they washed their hands of the situation, I'm not sure which. I was on my own and I figured - if I can't get anyone else to care, I couldn't retain my sanity and keep the kids as my #1 priority, so I gave up and let drivers deal with it and kept my focus on the kids.

Flash forward - after 1 week of my replacement hen being out back, Rooster has taken over my spot and replacement hen is covering his usual position. Now there is a new pick-up plan for the backyard.

Question: Do I feel annoyed that my pleas fell onto deaf ears or do I feel smug that I handled the situation for months on my own?